The present invention is directed to a sling for a weapon having a muzzle end and a stock at the opposite end from the muzzle end, and more specifically to a sling for such weapon wherein the sling is formed from a single elongated web folded upon itself and by which the user, whether wearing cold or warm weather clothing and whether in conditions of combat, hunting or the like, may quickly and safely adjust the sling in preparation for different tactical or other modes of carry of the weapon.
Slings for use with hand-carriable weapons, such as rifles or shotguns, have been known and used for many years. They are used to relieve the user from the strain of carrying the weapon directly, whether the user is a hunter, or is in the military, law enforcement or the like. The sling enables the user to be free to carry other items, or to cross over obstacles, or to climb or to descend, and yet retain the weapon close to the person of the user for ready use, if necessary.
The sling of the present invention is formed from a single, elongated web, preferably from a synthetic woven webbing such as nylon having great tensile strength and being highly resistant against most weather conditions. Such webbing, as constructed from nylon material, enables the sling to be manually and readily slidable to different adjusted positions and yet it has sufficient frictional characteristics to enable the sling to be retained in whatever position to which it is manually adjusted.
The sling of the present invention also may be readily adjusted so that the rifle or shotgun may be safely carried, either muzzle down or up, either in front or behind the user, either to one side or the other of the user, all depending on the conditions confronting the user, or leaving the user's hands free to climb or descend, cross obstacles, or to use a side arm in the event of a malfunction of the weapon, or to carry other equipment, but in all events enabling the user to retain the weapon about his or her person and under the control of the user.
The following patents are directed to slings for weapons, such as rifles or shotguns, which have in common with the present invention the fact that they are each also constructed from a single, flexible, elongated strap formed from a woven webbing and folded upon itself in a particular manner, and attached at one end of the sling to or adjacent the stock of the weapon and attached at the other end of the sling to or adjacent the muzzle end of the weapon. These patents include Hooper, U.S. Pat. No. 1,210,475 (1917); Randall, U.S. Pat. No. 1,292,875 (1919); Branby, U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,451; and Hightower, U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,070 (1985). Each of them may be manually slidingly adjusted, while attached in the manner described to the rifle shotgun, to increase the overall length of the sling and thereby produce a loop to accommodate several modes of carry of the weapon by the user in the field, and conversely, may be manually slidingly adjusted to shorten the overall length of the sling, and without the use of buckles or tongues or prongs to penetrate the web of the sling. The manually slidable position is retained in whatever position to which it is adjusted until the user decides to change it in some manner. The Branby sling differs from the others and from the present invention in that the sling is provided with a keeper or lock member, which must first be released before any manual sliding adjustments may be made by the user to increase the effective length of the sling or to decrease such length. The Hooper and Randall slings each differ from the present invention in at least three respects. The illustrated middle leg of the sling in Hooper and Randall is prevented from being moved when the sling is extended in length or shortened in length because each middle leg terminates in a hook that is connected to the stock of the rifle by either a link or a swivel. Also, the slings in each of Hooper and Randall are reversed end for end from that shown in the present invention by the three legs of the sling being located at the stock end of the weapon in Hooper and Randall, whereas in the present invention the three legs of the sling are located at the muzzle end of the weapon. The latter situation also results in a different manner of adjustment of the sling from that of the present invention. Third, upon release of the hook in either of the Hooper or Randall patents, there is no interconnection of the hook with the inner leg of the sling, as is the situation with the present invention. The nature of the construction of the Hightower sling severely limits the modes of possible carry of the weapon because the sling cannot be expanded sufficiently even to carry the weapon in a backpack position, for example.